Wait times may be long at City Hall’s payment drive-thru

Wait times for customers using Lawton City Hall’s utility payment drive-thru window may increase during certain times of the day, city officials said in response to complaints.

Those waits may go up on or near the first of the month, when there is a natural increase in traffic both inside City Hall and at the drive-thru, officials said. Additionally, residents should remember the drive-thru is dedicated to processing payments only.

The peak times and busy days typically are Mondays and Fridays, along with the first and last weeks of each month. Bills can be due on different days depending on the month, so busy dates may fluctuate, officials said. The most crowded hours generally are between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., so those times may see longer lines. The City of Lawton is expecting the arrival of new card reader machines soon, which will help streamline transactions and reduce wait times moving forward in the drive-thru, city officials said.

To avoid paying in person or at the drive-thru, customers may pay online or sign up for autopay through the self-service portal with their online bill pay account. They also may visit city hall for assistance in setting up autopay.

City officials also said their after-hours kiosk recently went out due to a power surge. Customers still may use the drop box in the drive-thru after hours, but the kiosk will remain out of service until it can be repaired.